Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that his country is engaged in a “full-fledged war” with the West and Israel, a statement that comes mere days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump.
“In my opinion, we are in a full-fledged war with America, Israel, and Europe. They do not want our country to stand on its feet,” Pezeshkian said in a interview on the website of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “They are besieging us from every aspect, they are creating problems for us in terms of livelihood, culturally, politically, and security-wise.”
Pezeshkian’s assessment comes months after the conclusion of the 12 Day War, which saw Israel launch targeted strikes that ultimately decimated Iran’s military leadership and infrastructure, as well as the United States later bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. A ceasefire was reached in June, with few violations reported by either side.
Despite the toll the war took on the country, however, Pezeshkian insisted in the interview over the weekend that Iran is “far stronger than we were during their previous attacks.”
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“Therefore, if they choose to strike, they will then naturally face a more decisive response,” he warned.
Such strikes could be coming, as Netanyahu is reportedly planning to brief Trump on Israel potentially renewing its operations targeting the regime’s ballistic missile program and nuclear sites. They are set to meet at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday, where top-of-mind is also the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire.